This review contains spoilers
This review will contain minor spoilers, it won't be anything related to the ending plot neither about specific things of solving the cases in each chapter but I really can't review this game without making a few minor spoilers.
I just want to say, before starting, that I love the Danganronpa Franchise and it's devs but I'll judge the game without being biased by this (I will try!).
Story: 3.5/5
This is a game with almost 100% focus on story with it's gameplay being the mystery labyrinths and some sidequests on the world of Kanai Ward but don't jump into this game purely for gameplay.
I want to review the story of the game, chapter by chapter, since there are chapter that I consider AMAZING and some that are just plain horrible...
- Chapter 0: 3.5/5
This serves as a mix of a tutorial and the first chapter where the game will teach you the basics of investigating and looking for clues and introduces you to Shinigami and her abilities (Mystery Labyrinth) which will play the main role of the entire game.
The culprit is pretty much easy to find from the start and the case isn't that difficult to solve (mainly if you played the Danganronpa games) because whenever the game gives you an important choice to make, it gives you more than necessary hints for you to know the right answer. There were some offs with the case, but overall it's great to get you into the game and it motivates the player to keep going.
- Chapter 1: 3/5
I loved investigating this entire case, it shows how well these devs improved over the investigations of Danganronpa. The idea of exploring kanai ward for the multiple murders of the killer (the new and the old ones) to try and find him was excelent! However... I just hated how the game suddently introduces you to new characters and... guess what... the culprit is one of them... and this will also happen in the next chapters where the game just introduces new characters for the case and then they are forgotten as the game goes on. The best thing about this chapter was solving and recreating the locked rooms!
- Chapter 2: 4/5
Just the cutscene that introduces this chapter alone was amazing and I immediately knew is about to have a great time! This chapter had a lot of really good details (which I won't talk much about to avoid spoiling too much) and the best ability (Desuhiko) to help you solve the case. It's also the first time where I felt bad about the culprit and felt that the victim deserved what happened! I felt sad when it all ended (because the culprit has to die when the mystery is solved). The Mystery Labyrinth was also good but a bit more lacking imo (because the one in chapter 1 was so unique). The case itself is also really easy to solve right as you are investigating it but it was definetly one the funnest ones to play!
- Chapter 3: 1/5
If I had to sum all the important things about this chapter I would just say it serves two objectives... To introduce you to Makoto and to show you that Amaterasu is controlled by two different branches that have different objectives. The only thing here that matters is for you to know that Yomi (who controls the Peacekeepers) doesn't get along with Makoto (CEO of Amaterasu). Makoto also tells you he's on your side and not an enemy despite being Amaterasu and you can feel that since Yomi despises Makoto (This will be important later on).
About the rest... It's horrible...
The culprit's motive are trash, the case isn't difficult to solve (if you pay attention to all details from the very start). Yuma felt like a dumbass in the entirety of this chapter, the peacekeepers felt useless, dumb, blind, deaf and just weak...
I don't know why they even bother making this case since the Resistance serves no purpose for the last chapter...
- Chapter 4: 5/5
THIS! I WAS HOOKED!!
This was the first time where I couldn't solve the case during the investigation. I was extremely confused about the how did the culprit do it!
I was also blind for a long time about the options of who was the culprit but I can't develop much without spoiling about it.
I was creeped out about almost everything here but the very last part of the mystery labyrinth was PERFECT! I was so happy with the outcome and it made Makoto be one of my favorite characters of this game!
- Chapter 5: 4.5/5
I still don't know what to think about this...
It's a very sci-fi plot twist but it creates a really good ethical problem in it.
I can't go into more details here, this chapter serves as the conclusion of the game and it's all about learning and revealing Kanai Ward's Ultimate Secret.
Also, I already liked Makoto a lot after the previous chapter but here, it made me like him even more!
Music: 5/5
It's composed by Masafumi Takada, need I say more?
The soundtrack is perfect as always!
Side content: 2/5
It's not horrible, but it's also not fun... I don't really understand their idea here. There were some sidequests that I kinda liked but even those aren't that fun...
Gameplay: 3/5
Like I said, the focus here shouldn't be gameplay since it's a story game. In the mystery labyrinth is a different story though. I felt that this game had two amazing mystery labyrinths in chapter 1 and 2 and then all the rest of them felt dull in comparison. Also it doesn't give the same impact as the class trials did in Danganronpa... There were very few minigames and some mystery labyrinths had unique ones.
Art: 3/5
This was difficult to judge... I hated the 3D models of the characters and felt it was a waste for the art this game could achieve with 2D Models but the neon city of Kanai Ward and it's colors are really good and beautiful looking.
Overall: 3.5
This game is definitely a nice successor to the Danganronpa Franchise and with a little more polish, it could become an amazing series as well!
My problems with this game mainly being the mystery labyrinths aren't that fun overall and the only really good chapters were the last two.
Despite this though, I really recommend Rain Code if you want a nice mystery game and a chill game to spend your time with!
I just want to say, before starting, that I love the Danganronpa Franchise and it's devs but I'll judge the game without being biased by this (I will try!).
Story: 3.5/5
This is a game with almost 100% focus on story with it's gameplay being the mystery labyrinths and some sidequests on the world of Kanai Ward but don't jump into this game purely for gameplay.
I want to review the story of the game, chapter by chapter, since there are chapter that I consider AMAZING and some that are just plain horrible...
- Chapter 0: 3.5/5
This serves as a mix of a tutorial and the first chapter where the game will teach you the basics of investigating and looking for clues and introduces you to Shinigami and her abilities (Mystery Labyrinth) which will play the main role of the entire game.
The culprit is pretty much easy to find from the start and the case isn't that difficult to solve (mainly if you played the Danganronpa games) because whenever the game gives you an important choice to make, it gives you more than necessary hints for you to know the right answer. There were some offs with the case, but overall it's great to get you into the game and it motivates the player to keep going.
- Chapter 1: 3/5
I loved investigating this entire case, it shows how well these devs improved over the investigations of Danganronpa. The idea of exploring kanai ward for the multiple murders of the killer (the new and the old ones) to try and find him was excelent! However... I just hated how the game suddently introduces you to new characters and... guess what... the culprit is one of them... and this will also happen in the next chapters where the game just introduces new characters for the case and then they are forgotten as the game goes on. The best thing about this chapter was solving and recreating the locked rooms!
- Chapter 2: 4/5
Just the cutscene that introduces this chapter alone was amazing and I immediately knew is about to have a great time! This chapter had a lot of really good details (which I won't talk much about to avoid spoiling too much) and the best ability (Desuhiko) to help you solve the case. It's also the first time where I felt bad about the culprit and felt that the victim deserved what happened! I felt sad when it all ended (because the culprit has to die when the mystery is solved). The Mystery Labyrinth was also good but a bit more lacking imo (because the one in chapter 1 was so unique). The case itself is also really easy to solve right as you are investigating it but it was definetly one the funnest ones to play!
- Chapter 3: 1/5
If I had to sum all the important things about this chapter I would just say it serves two objectives... To introduce you to Makoto and to show you that Amaterasu is controlled by two different branches that have different objectives. The only thing here that matters is for you to know that Yomi (who controls the Peacekeepers) doesn't get along with Makoto (CEO of Amaterasu). Makoto also tells you he's on your side and not an enemy despite being Amaterasu and you can feel that since Yomi despises Makoto (This will be important later on).
About the rest... It's horrible...
The culprit's motive are trash, the case isn't difficult to solve (if you pay attention to all details from the very start). Yuma felt like a dumbass in the entirety of this chapter, the peacekeepers felt useless, dumb, blind, deaf and just weak...
I don't know why they even bother making this case since the Resistance serves no purpose for the last chapter...
- Chapter 4: 5/5
THIS! I WAS HOOKED!!
This was the first time where I couldn't solve the case during the investigation. I was extremely confused about the how did the culprit do it!
I was also blind for a long time about the options of who was the culprit but I can't develop much without spoiling about it.
I was creeped out about almost everything here but the very last part of the mystery labyrinth was PERFECT! I was so happy with the outcome and it made Makoto be one of my favorite characters of this game!
- Chapter 5: 4.5/5
I still don't know what to think about this...
It's a very sci-fi plot twist but it creates a really good ethical problem in it.
I can't go into more details here, this chapter serves as the conclusion of the game and it's all about learning and revealing Kanai Ward's Ultimate Secret.
Also, I already liked Makoto a lot after the previous chapter but here, it made me like him even more!
Music: 5/5
It's composed by Masafumi Takada, need I say more?
The soundtrack is perfect as always!
Side content: 2/5
It's not horrible, but it's also not fun... I don't really understand their idea here. There were some sidequests that I kinda liked but even those aren't that fun...
Gameplay: 3/5
Like I said, the focus here shouldn't be gameplay since it's a story game. In the mystery labyrinth is a different story though. I felt that this game had two amazing mystery labyrinths in chapter 1 and 2 and then all the rest of them felt dull in comparison. Also it doesn't give the same impact as the class trials did in Danganronpa... There were very few minigames and some mystery labyrinths had unique ones.
Art: 3/5
This was difficult to judge... I hated the 3D models of the characters and felt it was a waste for the art this game could achieve with 2D Models but the neon city of Kanai Ward and it's colors are really good and beautiful looking.
Overall: 3.5
This game is definitely a nice successor to the Danganronpa Franchise and with a little more polish, it could become an amazing series as well!
My problems with this game mainly being the mystery labyrinths aren't that fun overall and the only really good chapters were the last two.
Despite this though, I really recommend Rain Code if you want a nice mystery game and a chill game to spend your time with!